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What Leads Police To Reach For Their Taser Gun?
Posted: 11/17/2009


Arrests do not always go smoothly. Sometimes police have to tase a suspect just to get them into the patrol car.

That's happened twice in the last couple days in Northern Michigan.

Monday, Michigan State Police in Gaylord used a Taser after a man resisted arrest. He is accused of breaking into several homes in the area.

Then, early Tuesday morning, Michigan State Police in Petoskey had to use a Taser on a man outside Bob's Place in Alanson after they say he became violent.

We sat down with a defense tactics instructor with the Michigan State Police who says they take a number of factors into consideration before tasing someone.

They say they use a Taser when someone resists arrest and becomes a danger to the officer, other people or themselves.

Officers go through hours of training before they are allowed to use a Taser.

The instructor says part of that training includes telling the suspect if they have to use a Taser, the situation will be much worse for the suspect.

9&10's Christina Vecchioni and photojournalist Aaron Smith have more details on what leads up to pulling the trigger.
© 2009 by Heritage Broadcasting